Animals can't be "saved" so they will not be in heaven.
Any other thoughts?
“Animals can’t be “saved” so they will not be in heaven.”
Agreed.
I always like what my cousin said about this when the subject would come up - pets don’t go to Heaven, but if you get there and choose to ask for a loved pet to join you, God will make it so. Heaven is a place of rest and reward - if your perfect eternity includes having Fluffy and Spot, then they will be there.
William F. Buckley had a great story about this. I won’t do it justice but a woman asked a Jesuit priest if her little dog would be with her in heaven. The priest replied that if that was what it took to make her happy in heaven then the dog would be there. Great answer.
well, IMHO a person entering heaven will be rewarded for believing in GOD.
Part of that reward can be seeing your beloved companions.
Animals cannot enter heaven on their own, but maybe by the reqest of the person.
But who knows???
There is no way that a place called Heaven wouldn’t have my dog there.
When exactly is the "death" of a plant? An apple, say? When it is picked? Cored? Sliced? Sauced? Cidered?
Now, if one plant is grafted onto another, does the combination have 2 souls? When a plant is rooted to form a new plant, does the original plant's soul split between the two plants, or does the soul stay with the larger part of the original plant and a new soul get issued for the new part?
I sense a real growth industry in this new line of theology...
Through love, the soul of an animal is incorporated to some degree in the soul of the person who loves it. As long as the person does not go out of existence, the pet’s soul does not. As God remembers us, He remembers us in our entirety, and, as George MacDonald said, “What God remembers ‘is’”.
Heaven is where we are too be fully happy. If that fullness means we need to see our pets we will see them.
OK. Here’s come quick thoughts:
If Revelation is an accurate portrayal of the future, then it would seem to indicate that there are animals in heaven since Jesus will return riding a white horse.
If things which do not have souls will not be in heaven, then creation is going to be disappointed since scripture says it is awaiting its liberation in Romans 8:19-21:
“The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”
Are animals part of God’s creation? Yes.
Well, the lion is going to lay down with the lamb somewhere. And Jesus comes back on a horse with a cavalry riding behind Him. Horse lovers will be happy.
Whether any specific pet will be there is anyone's guess, but if the Lord is going to restore creation to it's pre-sin state, there were animals before people.
I dont believe Jesus had a dog. I think that says it all right there.
But you have to wonder, why not?
Anyone know about biblical references to dogs? I mean as pets?
While I understand and agree with the church’s position on this matter, I do believe we will be held accountable for how we treated animals during our lifetime.
Heaven goes by favor; if it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in. - Mark Twain.
According to the book of Mark (Twain), there are two heavens: “The dog is a gentleman; I hope to go to his heaven, not man’s.”
CS Lewis believed they would be there.
What species would we say that doesn’t go to heaven?
Elephants, tigers bears snakes?
Pets will be in Heaven. They are an essential part of what makes us human. If God doesn’t have our beloved pets in Heaven, the afterlife will be quite disappointing and sad.
Somehow, I don’t think God would want sadness like that to tarnish Heaven.
Don’t tell my dog doesn’t have a soul or he will hump your leg.